Printing machines



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4 rro/ewsy Unite States Patent PRINTING MACHINES Thomas Edward Francis Sanderson, Pinner, and Roy John Cecil Coates, Upminster, England, assignors to Adrema Limited, London, England Application August 20, 1954, Serial No. 451,093 Claims priority, application Great Britain August 20, 1953 30 Claims. (Cl. 101-60) This invention relates to printing machines. It includes a printing machine having means for printing in one complete operation, a single impression from a principal printing surface formed with a plurality of distinct items of type matter, and a plurality of impressions from a subsidiary printing surface, each of the impressions from the subsidiary printing surface lying adjacent an item from the principal printing surface.

The invention also includes a printing machine comprising a principal printing surface which presents a plurality of distinct items of type matter, a subsidiary print: ing surface, principal and subsidiary printing platens disposed above the two surfaces and respectively operable to make an impression therefrom, means for conveying a form or ticket to be printed to a principal printing station located above the principal printing surface, where it receives an impression, and means operating thereafter to move the form stepwise over the subsidiary printing surface through a plurality of subsidiary printing stations, at each of which it receives an impression adjacent an item printed from the principal printing surface. Preferably, the principal printing surface (which may take the form of a composite plate, comprising a plurality of embossed printing plates) is readily removable from the machine, and replaceable by another printing surface; the subsidiary printing surface may comprise a so-called number boX, which is permanently retained in the machine but can readily be adjusted to present any one of a plurality of different combinations of letters and/or digits.

It is, today, a generally accepted fact in the boot and shoe, clothing and allied industries that the most convenient and efficient method of issuing and recording the necessary detail for the calculation of wages and for progress and cost control is by means of detachable pay coupons.

Amongst other uses, the machine of this invention may be employed for printing these pay coupons which are small pieces of card measuring approximately 4 x 2" (19 x 51 mm.) on which normally appears such details as the operation number, brief description of the operation, piece-work price paid, or standard minutes allocated to the operation for a set number of shoes or number of garments. To effect efficient control, the coupon is also printed with the consecutive batch number, the quantity involved, and other coding, which varies from one organisation to the next depending upon their method of working.

A set of coupons is prepared to cover the work involved in each department, and the set travels round with the batch of shoes or bundles of clothing. As each operation is completed, the operative removes the pay coupon from the set and retains it, so that throughout the day's working he builds up an actual record of the work carried out and the money to be paid for it. A specimen ticket comprising one complete set of such pay coupons, printed by a machine constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated in Figure 4A of the accompanying drawings; the ticket bears certain general information 9 (printed from the principal printing surface) and is divided over most of its length into two adjacent columns each of which contains the different items 10, such as the operation number, brief description of the operation, piece- Work price paid, or standard minutes allocated to the operation for a set number of shoes or number of garments (also printed from the principal printing surface), and the different items 11, such as the consecutive batch number, the quantity involved, and other coding (printed by the subsidiary printing surface). For the sake of clarity only some of the items mentioned above have been shown in Figure 4A although in practice most pay coupons will show all these items. It should be realised that the items 9 and 10 remain the same for each pair of shoes included in the same batch, whereas the items 11 may vary for each successive pair of shoes. Thus it is most convenient to have two separate printing operations.

One particular form of machine for printing such a ticket, and constructed in accordance with the present invention, is described below by way of example, reference being made to the remainder of the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a composite printing plate which forms the principal printing surface in this particular machine;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of Figure 1, showing a pair of embossed printing plates in position upon the base plate;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a portion of the composite plate, with the embossed plates removed; 1

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on line 44 of Figure 3;

Fig. 4A is a specimen ticket according to the invention.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the machine;

Figure 6 is a side elevation, with certain parts cut away, of the forward half of the machine, showing the mechanlsrn for printing from the composite printing plate;

Figure 7 is a plan view of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an end elevation of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view of certain parts shown in Figures 6 to 8;

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of one of the rollers shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a view of the means for conveying a form or ticket over the principal printing surface;

Figure 12 shows diagrammatically certain parts of the form or ticket feeding mechanism;

Figure 13 is a section on line XIII-XIII in Figure 7;

Figure 14 is a view of means for inserting and removing the composite printing plate;

Figure 15 shows the composite printing plate inked ribbon mechanism;

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the rear half of the machine;

Figure 16A is a continuation of Figure 16 showing the pneumatic operating means;

Figures 17, 17A are details useful in explaining the rack and escapement mechanism shown in Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a detail showing the connection of the cables to the carriage;

Figures 19 to 19C are details showing the number box operating means;

Figure 20 shows the number box inked ribbon mechanism;

Figure 21 shows diagrammatically the electrical circuit controlling the operation of the one-revolution clutch;

Figure 22 is the circuit for controlling the operation of a gate member;

printed by a machine Figure 23 is the circuit for controlling the operation of the pneumatic means; and

Figure 24 is the circuit for controlling printing from the number box.

The principal printing surface used in this machine takes the form of a composite printing plate comprising any number from one to say eight of separate embossed plates, 1 disposed in a common plane and removably held upon a common base plate 2. Each of the embossed plates, which are similar in general character to those used in addressing machines, is rectangular in shape and has a depending flange 3 on each of its two longer sides, the plates being disposed as shown side by side with their flanged edges adjacent one another, and extending across the row of plates. The base plate is bent to form nine transverse grooves 4 for receiving the flanges of the embossed plates, whose embossable portions rest upon the upper surface of the base plate. Accommodated in each groove is a pair of angle section sheet metal retaining strips 5, having horizontal portions which project outwardly over the edges of the embossed plates and vertical portions which extend downwardly between the flanges of the plates. Tongues 6 spaced along the lower edges of the vertical portions pass through apertures formed in the base plate 2 at the bottom of the groove and are bent over to retain the strips in position.

The printing machine (Figure comprises mechanism, indicated generally by 12, for effecting printing from the above described composite plates, additional mechanism, shown generally by 13, for effecting printing from a number box disposed beneath this mechanism, and a carriage assembly 14, movable on a guide-rail 14a, and serving to draw a ticket over the number box, the entire arrangement being supported upon a frame 15. The

mechanism 12 is driven by an electric motor 16, through v a one-revolution clutch 16a, as described in greater detail below.

The composite plate printing mechanism (Figures 6 to 8) includes a horizontal bed 17 (Figure 6) guided for vertical movement and adapted for supporting the plate 18 (type face uppermost) beneath an inked ribbon, arranged and operated as described below. The bed 17 rests near its ends on a pair of transversely disposed rollers 19 (Figures 6, 9 and which are rotatably supported in the fixed frame of the apparatus. Each roller is formed with a flat 20 and carries a radially projecting tongue 21, disposed adjacent the flat. Thus, by rotating the rollers to bring either the flats or the tongues uppermost, the bed can be lowered or raised. Each tongue is radially movable within a slot formed in its roller and the extent to which it projects can be altered by the action of a wedge 22, axially displaceable against the action of spring 23 within the roller by means of an adjusting screw 24 at the ends of the roller. The height to which the ends of the bed are raised when the tongues of the rollers are turned uppermost can thus be exactly adjusted.

The ticket to be printed is carried over the bed 17 by endless flexible tapes 25 (Figure 11), continuously driven by an electric motor 26 towards the rear of the bed. These tapes pass over suitably positioned rollers 27 to 32 disposed at the front and rear ends of the bed respectively. Immediately above roller 27 is a vertically movable mangle roller 33. The mangle roller is mechanically linked to the bed, as shown in Figure 12. At each end the roller is connected to a curved link 34. The lower ends of these links are pivotally connected to levers 35 and 35a, which are secured to a transverse shaft 36. Lever 35 carries at its end a pin which engages in a vertical slot formed in a cranked member 37. The latter is pivotally connected to the bed 17. Thus when the bed is lowered, the mangle roller is caused to press against the tapes 25, as shown in Figure 11, but when the bed is raised, the mangle roller is also raised, clear of the tapes.

Above the longitudinal centre line of the bed there extends a horizontal cam shaft 38 (Figures 6.to 8) carry ing 24 earns 39, which are angularly displaced relative to one another. Each cam co-operates with a separate rocking arm 40, which carries a platen 41 adapted to make a print from one of the items comprised in the composite printing plate 18. Alternate rocking arms are supported for individual pivotal movement on a shaft 42 disposed parallel to the cam shaft and on one side thereof. The remaining rocking arms are similarly mounted upon a corresponding shaft 43 disposed on the opposite side of the cam shaft. Each rocking arm (Figure 13) carries on its inner end a slide 44, of rectangular channel section, this slide having an upwardly projecting wedge-shaped member 45, adapted to be engaged by the cam, thereby causing depression of the platen against the action of return spring 50 (Figure 8), to effect printing. The slide with its wedge is adjustable longitudinally of the rocking arm by means of bolt 46, to allow adjustment of the printing pressure exerted. The pivotal connection of each rocking arm to its shaft is effected by an eccentric bush 47, which can be rotated by means of a manually operated lever 48 to move the arm outwardly, thereby withdrawing the wedge-shaped member 45 clear of the cam, so that no print will be effected by that arm. Such movement of the rocking arm between its operative and inoperative positions actuates an electrical contact 49 (Figures 8 and 24), whose purpose will be described later. The cam shaft and the shafts carrying the rocking arms are mounted in a hood 51, which is hinged along one side to the fixed frame of the apparatus, so that it can be swung open to allow access to the printing platens and other associated parts.

The cam shaft is driven by a chain 52 (Figures 8, 9) which passes over a guide sprocket 53, guide wheel 54 and over a driving sprocket 55 disposed co-axially with the hinge of the hood, so that the hood can be opened without breaking the drive. The driving sprocket 55 is secured to a lay shaft 56 disposed horizontally to one side of the frame, this shaft being driven through bevel gearing from a transversely disposed shaft 57, which is driven through the one revolution clutch 16a from the electric motor 16. Shaft 57 carries a disc 58 whose periphery is engaged by a roller 59 mounted on a forked link 60. This link is pivotally connected at its upper end to the fixed frame of the machine, its lower, forked end embracing a longitudinally movable rack 61, and engaging stops 62 projecting from the rack. The rack is engaged by gears 63 secured to the rollers 19, and is urged forwardly by a spring 64. It will be seen that movement of rack 61 will cause the bed 17 and mangle rollers 33 to be raised or lowered by rotating rollers 19. A notch in the periphery of disc 58 allows the rack to move into a position in which the bed and the mangle are lowered; during the remainder of the rotation of the disc, the rack holds the bed and the mangle in their raised positions.

Mechanism for sliding a composite printing plate 18 into position on the bed 17 is illustrated in Figure 14. The plate is placed upon a fixed horizontal platform 65, which extends outwards from the bed. Guided for sliding movement over the platform is a shuttle 66 (shown in its outer position) whose inner edge is adapted to engage an edge of the plate, the plate being pushed home onto the bed by moving the shuttle inwardly. Secured beneath the platform is a rack 67, which is engaged by a reversing pawl 68, pivotally mounted on the underside of the shuttle. The rack is shorter than the length of travel of the shuttle, so that at the extreme ends of the latters travel, the pawl disengages from the rack, and is rotated by a spring (not shown) into a position to allow the shuttle to be moved in the opposite direction. It will be seen that the arrangement is such that the shuttle must be moved completely home, so positioning the plate accurately on the bed, before it can again be withdrawn. Inward movement of the shuttle breaks contact between a ramp (not shown) mounted on the shuttle and an arm 71, the latter forming contact in an electrical circuit controlling the operation of the one revolution clutch 16a (see Figure 22). Thus the machine cannot be operated until the shuttle has been completely withdrawn to close the circuit.

The arrangement of the composite plate inked ribbon, and its operating mechanism is illustrated in Figure 15, to which attention is now directed. The ribbon 72 extends horizontally above the embossed surface of the composite printing plate 18 and can be fed forwardly from right to left and rearwardly from left to right. At the ends of the plate the ribbon passes over transverse horizontal rollers 73 and 74 onto spools 75 and 76 located beneath the bed. The spools are connected through bevel gearing 77 and 78 to two driven shafts 79 and 80 (the latter having a portion cut away in the drawing). The adjacent ends of the two driven shafts carry gear wheels 81 and 82. It will be appreciated that rotation of one of the gears in the appropriate direction will cause the ribbon to be wound on to the associated spool, and unwound from the other spool, whereas if the other gear wheel is rotated (in the same direction) the direction of movement of the ribbon will be reversed. Arranged below the two driven shafts and parallel to them, is a driving shaft 83, which carries a sleeve 84, to whose ends are secured a pinion 85, and a pair of spaced discs 86. The

sleeve can be shifted axially to engage the pinion with either one of the driven gears 81 and 82. Drive is transmitted from the shaft 03 to the sleeve by means of a disc 87, secured to the shaft, this disc having a notch in its periphery for receiving a pin 88 projecting from one of the discs 86.

At the rear end of the driving shaft is a friction clutch 09 for coupling the shaft to a countinuously rotating shaft 90, driven by motor 26. Operation of the clutch is effected by a bell crank lever 91, arranged beyond the forward end of the driving shaft and pivoted on a pin 92. The upwardly extending arm of this lever engages the front end of the shaft 83, Whilst its other arm is connected to a vertically moving piston of a pneumatic cylinder 93. After each operation of the composite plate printing mechanism, the piston is raised to force the shaft 83 rearwardly, thereby engaging the clutch 89 and causing feed of the ribbon '72 through a distance of some inches. A cam and pawl mechanism 94 which serves as a safety device is arranged between the relatively movable parts of the clutch 89, whereby the clutch is allowed to slip if the meshing gear wheels, or the spools should become locked in any way.

Between the rear roller 74 and the spool '76, the ribbon passes beneath a movable roller 95, whose ends are attached to a pair of arms 96 secured to two transverse stub shafts 97 (only one arm, and one stub shaft being shown in the drawings). The ribbon also passes over a transverse roller 90, whose ends are mounted in the inner ends of the stub shafts 97. The movable roller 95 is spring biased forwardly as described below, and thus presses the ribbon forwardly to form a loop between rollers 98 and 74. When either spool is empty, the increased tension in the ribbon draws the roller 95 rearwardly and upwardly, thereby rotating stub shafts 97.

Secured to the outer end of the stub shaft 97 is an arm 99, whose upper end is formed with a longitudinal slot (shown dotted). Engaging within this slot is a pin 100 projecting laterally from a horizontal bar 101, guided for forward and rearward sliding movement and spring biased to its rearmost position by a spring 102. This pin also engages pivotally in the rear end of an actuating lever 103, whose other end carries a horizontally projecting pin i, adapted to engage a reversing cam 105. The sliding bar 101 carries a second pin 106 which projects through an aperture in the actuating lever, the aperture being large enough to permit the lever a degree of upward and downward pivotal movement about the pin 104. Piveted by its centre to the actuating lever is a centralising lever 107, whose rear end is forked and engages round the pin 106. A tension spring 108 tends to hold the centralising lever in a horizontal position.

The reversing cam is pivoted at a point slightly forward of its tail 109, and lies with its axis inclined to the horizontal, its nose 110 engaging either above or below a roller 111 which is biased into engagement with the cam by a spring 112. Mounted on the same pivot as the cam is a bell crank lever 113 whose forwardly extending arm carries at its end a pin 114, which engages within a vertical slot formed in the cam. The other arm of the crank carries a pin 115 which engages between the spaced discs 86.

Each time that the actuating lever 103 is moved forwards as a result of the tightening of the ribbon, the pin 104 engages the cam on one or other side of its tail (depending on whether the cam is inclined upwards or downwards), and slides along the curved rear edge 116 of the cam until the nose of the cam is forced upwards (or downwards) over centre. The pin 115 on the bell crank lever 113 thus shifts the sleeve 84 along the driving shaft 83, so that its pinion 85 is disengaged from one of the driven gear wheels 81, 82 and engaged with the other. This causes reversal of the direction of movement of the ribbon as described above. When the ribbon feed has been reversed the tension in the ribbon is decreased, sothat the sliding bar 101 can be returned rearwardly by its spring 102 and the actuating lever centralised ready for the next operation.

The number box is mounted to the rear of the bed below a second inked ribbon. Printing from this number box is effected by mechanism 13 (Figures 5 and 16), which comprise a platen 117 (Figure 19) mounted on a rocker arm 118, whose actuation is described below. After the ticket has been printed by the composite printing plate, the ticket is moved step-wise over the number box and a print is made from the number box onto the ticket in the space immediately below each of the items printed from the plate.

At the rear end of the bed, a gate 119 (Figure 7) is disposed in the path of the ticket carried by the endless tapes 25. The thrust exerted against the gate by the ticket serves to actuate an electrical contact 120 included in a circuit with a solenoid 70 which controls the engagement of the one-revolution clutch 16a (see Figure 21). The gate is normally positioned to arrest rearward movement of the paper, but can be automatically opened to permit such movement by a solenoid 121 whose controlling contacts 122 (Figures 6 and 23) are actuated by a cam on the shaft 56 once during each revolution of the shaft.

Rearwardly from the parts of the apparatus thus far described there extends a horizontal rail 14:: (Figures 5 and 16) on which is mounted a longitudinally movable carriage shown generally by 14. The carriage includes a body portion 124, and a hollow head portion 129. When the carriage is at the forward end of its travel, it is positioned to receive on the upper surface of its head 129 the leading edge of a ticket which has passed through the gate 119. The rearward movement of the sheet relative to the carriage is limited by a stop member 125, mounted on a movable support 126, and connected to the piston 138 of a pneumatic cylinder 139, the pressure exerted by the ticket against this stop operating an electrical contact 127, whose purpose is described below. Openings 128 in the upper surface of the carriage head adapted to be closed by a ticket in position on the carriage, communicate with the chamber within the head. The carriage can be move forwardly by a cable 130 passing over a pulley 131 at the forward end of the rail 123, and secured to the piston 132 of a pneumatic cylinder 133. Rearward movement of the carriage is effected by a cable 134 passing over a pulley 135 at the rear end of the rail 123 and secured to the piston 136 of a second pneumatic cylinder 137 disposed horizontally.

The interiors of the two cylinders 133 and 137, the chamber within the carriage head 129, the interior of the stop member operating cylinder 139, and that of the cylinder 93 for operating the composite plate inked ribbon clutch, are all connected to the suction side of continuously driven vacuum pump 151 through a master valve 152 (Figure 16A). This valve can be moved to two different positions by the alternate energisation of solenoids 153 and 154; the circuit of solenoid 153 being controlled by the above mentioned contacts 127 on the stop member, whilst that of solenoid 154 includes a stud contact 162a mounted at the rear end of an insulating bar 163 and adapted to be engaged by a brush 162k carried on the carriage, and permanently engaging a live rail extending parallel to the guide rail 123. The latter circuit is thus completed by the carriage on arrival at its rearmost position on the rail 123 (see Figure 23).

The movement of the carriage to the forward end of its travel causes a second brush 1620 on the carriage to connect a pair of contact rails 162d included in the electrical circuit controlling the engagement of the one revolution clutch a (see Figure 21), it being necessary that both contacts 162d and the above mentioned contacts (operated by the engagement of the ticket with the gate 119) should be actuated to cause engagement of the clutch.

Rearward movement of the carriage is effected in twenty four steps under the control of an escapement and rack mechanism (Figures l6, 17, 17A). ment includes a leading escapement tooth and a longitudinally slidable follower tooth 141, the latter being biased by spring 141a towards a position immediately beneath the tooth 1411. These teeth are both carried on a support 143 which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 143a beneath the carriage; movement of the support 143 about pin 143a is effected by an eccentrically mounted shaft 145 continuously driven (by means not shown) at, say, 720 R. P. M., the shaft engaging between the arms of a forked member connected to the support. Such movement of the support will cause the teeth to move alternately into and out of engagement with a rack 144. The rack is mounted for pivotal movement about its longitudinal axis, and is held, during the rearward movement of the carriage, in a horizontal, teeth-engaging position, by a pneumatic cylinder 149, to Whose piston 148, the rack is connected; a cylinder 149 is connected to the suction side of vacuum pump 151. During the forward travel of the carriage, the rack is swung, by a spring 147, into an upwardly inclined position (shown dotted in Figure 17), so as to be clear of the path of the teeth. The arrangement of the escapement teeth is such that the follower tooth remains in engagement with a tooth on the rack, whilst the leading tooth moves upwardly, rearwards, and downwards into engagement with the next rack tooth (Figure 17). The downward movement of the leading tooth into its position of engagement with the rack releases the follower tooth, so that it can be moved by spring 141a to a position beneath the leading tooth (Figure 17A). The operation is then repeated along the whole length of the rack; the spring loaded follower tooth serving to decrease the thrust exerted on the rack by the leading tooth.

As shown in Figure 18, the cables 134 and 130 are connected to one end of a lever 148, which is pivotally connected to the underside of the carriage, the other end of the lever being connected to a spring 149, secured to an arm 150 projecting from the carriage. This mechanism serves as a shock absorber, the energy of the piston 136 being absorbed by the spring 149 each time the carriage is arrested during its rearward movement.

The mechanism for effecting printing from the number box is shown in detail in Figures 19 to 19C, Figure 19 being a View looking rearwards at the end of the eccentric shaft 145, Figure 19A a view at right angles, Figure 19B a plan view showing the mechanism The escape- 0 in the print position, and 19C a plan view showing the mechanism in the no-print position.

The eccentric shaft (which operates the escapement teeth on the carriage) carries an edge cam 155, adapted to raise a tappet 156 for operating the rocker 118 which effects printing from the number box. The cam is effective to raise the tappet only if an interposer member 157 is in position between the cam and the lower end of the tappet. This interposer, which is so mounted that it can move vertically with the edge cam and also in a direction longitudinal of the eccentric shaft, is pressed by a spring 158 against a face cam 159 also mounted on that shaft. During each revolution of that shaft, the face cam moves the interposer clear of the tappet and subsequently permits it to return into operative position before the edge cam reaches the position at which it would operate the tappet. The interposer can be prevented from returning into operative position by the movement into its path of a bolt 161), operated by a solenoid 161 (Figure 19C). The energising circuit of this solenoid (the number box control circuit), has, in effect, 24 branches, each branch containing a stud contact 162, mounted on the bar 163 (Figures 16 and 24) and adapted to be engaged by the carriage brush 16217 when the carriage arrives at one of its 24 positions along the rail 123, and one of the above mentioned contacts 49 which are operated by the movement into and out of operative position of the rocking arms 40 carrying the platens 41 for efiecting printing from the plate. Each branch of the circuit (Figure 24) is controlled by one of 24 control switches 164, which is movable to three alternative positions. In one position, a number will be printed from the number box whether or not the corresponding platen 41 has been moved to its inoperative position; in another position of the switch, the operation of the number box is dependent upon the position of the platen 41, so that no number will be printed if contact 49 is broken (the interposer 157 being held in inoperative position as described above and shown in Figure 190), and vice versa. When the switch is in its third (central) position, no number will be printed from the number box, whatever the position of the platen 41.

The number box control circuit also includes contacts 186, operated by the master valve. These contacts are opened to break the circuit during the forward travel of the carriage to ensure that printing from the number box cannot then occur.

The mechanism for moving and reversing the number box inked ribbon is illustrated in Figure 20. The ribbon 165 is wound on a pair of spools 166 and 167, the arrangement being that during the travel of the ribbon from one spool to the other, the spools rotate in opposite directions. Depending from a fixed horizontal pivot pin 168 located above the spools and midway between them is an actuating lever 169, which is rocked to and fro through a small angle about its pivot at each operation of the number box printing platen 117, by means of a pull rod 168a connected to the rocker arm of that platen. Two operating pawls 171 and 171 are pivoted on a common horizontal pin 172 carried by the actuating lever at its lower end, these pawls being arranged with their upper ends biased towards each other by a spring 173. The pawls are adapted to engage respectively ratchet wheels 174 and 175 secured to the shafts of the spools, and to rotate the spools through a small angle after each actuation of the printing platen, only one pawl being operative at any one time. Pawl 171i rotates its ratchet by a pushing action, and the pawl 171 by a pulling action.

A pair of additional cranked pawls 176a and 171a, are arranged crosswise on a pivot pin 172a disposed beneath the lever 1169, their lower ends being biased apart by a spring 173a. The appropriate cranked pawl is adapted to be raised out of engagement with the ratchet when the latter is being moved by its operating pawl, and to ures 5, 6, 7, 11, 15 and 16.

amass be subsequently dropped into engagement with the ratchet, to lock it in position. i r

Extending alongside the spools below the pawls is a centrally pivoted rocker bar 176 having a pair of spaced horizontally projecting stops 177 near its upper edge, each of the stops being adapted to engage one pair of the four pawls and hold it raised out of engagement with its ratchet wheel. her 178, pivotally supported at its lower end, and spring biased inwardly (that is, towards the centre of the bar) so as to engage over a pin 17% on the end of the bar. When engaged, each latch holds the bar in an inclined position, in which the stop furthest from the latch holds.

the appropriate pawl out of engagement with its ratchet. Mounted on the same pivot as the latch is a bell crank lever 11%, one arm of which is adapted to engage the inner edge of the latch, whilst its other arm is attached to a tension spring 181, anchored to a point 182 on the rocker bar. Also mounted on the same pivot as the latch is a follower arm 183, which lies between the cheeks of the spool and engages the roll of ribbon wound on the spool.

As the amount of ribbon on the spool increases, the bell crank lever 180 is rocked to stress the tension spring 181, which tends to turn the rocker bar 176 into its alternative position. Just before the ribbon reaches the end of its travel, the bell crank lever engages the latch 178 and moves the latter clear of the pin 179 on the rocker bar, allowing the tension spring to rock the bar over to its oppositely inclined position. The bar is retained in its new position by the latch at its other end and the pair of pawls which was previously inoperative.

is allowed to spring downwardly into engagement with its ratchet, while the other pair of pawls is lifted. Thus the drive is transferred from one spool to the other, and the direction of travel of the ribbon is reversed.

Operation Very briefly the operation of the printing machine is as follows: i

A ticket to be printed, such as the ticket shown in Figure 4A, is placed in the printing machine so as to lie between the platens 41 and the ribbon 72 in the principal printing portion of the machine shown in Fig- In this position the items 9 are printed on the ticket and the items 113- are printed on each pay coupon by the successive operation of the operative platens 41. After this printing operation the ticket passes to rearward of the machine and is made to adhere to the head 128 (Figure 16) which passes the ticket beneath the number box 13 (Figures and 13) or the subsidiary printing surface. The ticket is moved stepwise beneath the number box 13 so that the items 11 are printed successively onto each pay coupon. The printed ticket is then discharged from the machine which reverts to its starting position.

Considered in more detail the operation of the printing machine is as follows:

When the one-revolution clutch 8 is disengaged, the roller 59 on the forked link 60 is engaged in the notch in the periphery of the disc 58 on the transverse shaft 57, as shown in Figure 9. The bed 17 carrying the printing plate 18 is consequently lowered, leaving sufficient clearance between the inked ribbon 72 and the platens 41 for the passage of the ticket to be printed, and the mangle roller 29 is lowered into engagement with the endless tapes 25. If the leading edge of a ticket is then inserted manually or automatically between the mangle and the tapes, the ticket will be carried rearwardly by the tapes until it is arrested by the gate 119 at the rear end of the bed. Provided that the carriage 124 has then returned to its forward position, to connect contact rails 162d, the engagement of the ticket with the gate energises the solenoid 70 and effects engagement of the one revolution clutch 16a. Immediately the transverse At each end of the bar is a latch mem-.

shaft 57 starts to rotate, the notched disc 58 which it carries displaces the rack 61, raising the bed into printing position and also raising the mangle roller, thereby preventing the feed of any additional ticket which may be presented to that roller. The continued rotation of the cam shaft 39 after the bed has been raised into printing position, operates successively those of the platens 41 which are in operative position and effects printing onto the ticket of the corresponding items on the printing plate. As the transverse shaft 53 completes its revolution, the roller 59 re-enters the notch in the disc 5%, allowing the bed and mangle roller to return to their former positions, ready for the reception of the next ticket to be printed, and the contacts 122 (on the shaft 56) for effecting opening of the gate are actuated. The one-revolution clutch 16a then disengages itself. As a safety precaution, the circuit (Figure 21) which controls operation of the clutch 16a, contains a second pair of contacts 120a mounted on the shaft 56, and operated once only in each revolution of the shaft. Thus the clutch cannot be operated more than once during each printing operation. When the gate 119 is opened, the tapes 25 feed the ticket rearwardly onto the carriage 124, where it is arrested by the stop member 125, in a position in which the ticket closes the openings 128 in the carriage head 129. The engagement of the ticket with the stop operates the contacts 127, thus energising the solenoid 153. The master valve is accordingly moved to the position shown in Figure 16; in this position of the valve, suction is applied from the pump 151 to (i) the chamber within the carriage head 129, thereby causing the ticket to adhere to the upper surface of the carriage, (ii) to the rack cylinder 149, thereby moving the rack 144 into its horizontal, escapernent engaging position, (iii) to the clutch cylinder 93, causing movement of the inked ribbon 72, (iv) to the carriage operating cylinder 137, thereby causing the carriage to move rearwardly, and (v) to the stop member operating cylinder 139, so lifting the stop to allow passage of the ticket. The rotation of the eccentric shaft 145 operates the escapement teeth 140, 141 on the carriage, allowing the step by step retreat of the carriage 124 and also of the ticket, and at each step the edge cam on this shaft causes printing to be made from the number box 13 in the manner already described so as to print the items 11 successively onto each pay coupon.

During its rearward travel, the carriage separates a pair of contacts included in the circuit containing the gate operating solenoid 121 (Figure 22), these contacts being mounted on the machine alongside the path of the carriage. The breaking of this circuit closes the gate 119 in readiness to arrest the next ticket fed to the machine.

As the carriage reaches the rear and of its travel, its brush 16% engages the contact 162a, thereby energising the solenoid 154 which moves the master valve over to its secondposition. The five pneumatic cylinders mentioned above are now opened to atmosphere through the open end 152a of the valve, so that the piston 136 can be moved rearwardly in its cylinder 137, the rack is swung upwardly to inoperative position, and the stop 1.25 is dropped to arrest the next ticket delivered from the tapes 25. At the same time, the suction applied to the ticket through the openings 128 in the carriage head 129, is relieved, thereby permitting removal of the ticket from the carriage, by a pair of continuously running rollers 183 (Figure 16) driven by the motor 26. The shifting of the master valve also connects the interior of pneumatic cylinder 133 to the suction side of the pump through a a tube 133a, thereby causing the piston 132 to move down through the cylinder and draw the carriage forwards to its original position. This suction is relieved when the piston 132 moves past an opening 13312, the tube 133a then being connected to atmosphere through a by- 11 pass channel 1330 and through the open upper end of cylinder 133 (Figure 16A).

The arrival of the carriage at its extreme forward position again actuates the one-revolution clutch, and the complete cycle of operations is then repeated.

We claim:

1. A printing machine comprising a principal printing surface which presents a plurality of distinct items of type matter, a principal printing station located above said principal printing surface, a subsidiary printing surface, a plurality of subsidiary printing stations, principal and subsidiary printing platens disposed above the two surfaces and respectively operable to make an impression therefrom, means for conveying a form to be printed to the principal printing station, said station including mean for operating the principal platen to produce a single principal impression, and means operating thereafter to move the form stepwise over the subsidiary printing surface through the plurality of subsidiary printing stations, each of said subsidiary stations including means for operating the respective subsidiary platen to produce the corresponding subsidiary impression in a predetermined position relative to an item printed from the principal printing surface.

2. A printing machine in accordance with claim 1, in which the subsidiary printing surface comprises a device which is adjustable to present any one of a plurality of different combinations of type matter.

3. A printing machine in accordance with claim 1 and further, comprising a bed, guided for vertical movement and adapted for supporting the principal printing surface beneath an inked ribbon, a pair of endless flexible tapes for conveying a form to be printed over the bed, a plurality of principal printing platens disposed side by side above the bed, each of which is adapted to print an impression from type matter on the printing surface, a gate member adapted to be engaged by, and to arrest the form at the principal printing station, a mechanism responsive to such engagement and operated as a result thereof, to raise the bed to a printing position, operate the platens to make a print, and lower the bed, and means for moving the gate to allow the printed form to pass from the principal printing surface to the subsidiary printing surface.

4. A printing machine in accordance With claim 3, in which the bed is movably supported on at least one horizontal roller formed with a fiat, whereby rotation thereof will raise and lower the bed.

5. A printing machine in accordance with claim 3, in which the bed is movably supported on at least one horizontal roller, having a radially projecting tongue, whereby rotation of the roller will raise or lower the bed.

6. A printing machine in accordance with claim 5, in which the tongue is radially movable in a slot formed in the roller, whereby the height to which the bed is raised can be adjusted.

7. A printing machine in accordance with claim 3, and further including a mangle roller which is adapted to press against the flexible tapes when the bed is lowered, whereby forms inserted between the mangle roller and the tapes will be conveyed to the principal printing station, but which is adapted to be raised clear of the tapes when the bed is raised.

8. A printing machine in accordance with claim 7, in which the mangle roller is mechanically linked to the bed.

9. A printing machine in accordance with claim 1, in which printing from the principal printing surface is effected by a plurality of cams mounted on a common cam shaft extending above the principal printing surface, each cam being adapted to operate a principal printing platen once during each operation of the machine.

10. A printing machine in accordance with claim 9, in which the cams are angularly displaced relative to one 12 another, whereby the principal printing platens are operated successively.

11. A printing machine in accordance with claim 10, in which the cam shaft is driven through a one-revolution clutch actuated as a result of the engagement of a form with the gate member.

12. A printing machine in accordance with claim 11, in which each of the principal printing platens can be moved to an inoperative position to cause non-printing of the corresponding item on the principal printing sur face.

13. A printing machine in accordance with claim 12, in which each of the principal printing platens is mounted on a rocker arm, a shaft extending parallel to the cam shaft, an eccentric bush pivotally connecting said parallel shaft to the rocker arm, movement of the principal printing platen into and out of its operative position being effected by rotation of the said bush.

14. A printing machine in accordance with claim 13, in which each rocker arm carries a wedge-shaped member adapted to be engaged by a cam, said member being slidable on the arm whereby the pressure of the principal printing platen on a form during a printing operation, can be varied.

15. A printing machine in accordance with claim 14, in which the cam shaft and rocking arm assembly are mounted in a hood which is hinged to the fixed frame of the machine so that it can be swung open to allow access to the principal printing surface platens and other parts associated therewith.

16. A printing machine in accordance with claim 1, in which the means for moving a form over the subsidiary printing surface comprises a carriage, slidably mounted on a horizontal guide rail, extending in a direction away from the subsidiary printing surface.

17. A printing machine in accordance with claim 16, in which the carriage is connected to the pistons of two pneumatic cylinders operating respectively to move the carriage rearwardly and forwardly along the guide rail.

18. A printing machine in accordance with claim 17, in which the rearward movement of the carriage, in a direction away from the subsidiary printing surface, is effected in a plurality of steps by means of escapement teeth mounted on the carriage and adapted to move alternately into and out of engagement with a rack extending parallel to the guide rail.

19. A printing machine in accordance with claim 18, in which the escapement teeth are operated by an eccentrically mounted shaft extending parallel to the guide rail.

20. A printing machine in accordance with claim 19, in which the escapement teeth include a fixed tooth and a slidably mounted follower tooth arranged beneath the fixed tooth, the follower tooth being adapted to engage the rack each time the fixed tooth is disengaged therefrom during the rearward movement of the carriage, said follower tooth being also spring biased rearwardly, so that it operates to decrease the thrust on the rack due to the engagement of the fixed tooth therewith.

21. A printing machine in accordance with claim 20, in which means are provided for moving the rack out of the path of the escapement teeth during the forward travel of the carriage.

22. A printing machine in accordance with claim 21, in which the rack is connected to the piston of a pneumatic cylinder which operates, when suction is applied thereto, to move the rack into the path of the escapement teeth.

23. A printing machine in accordance with claim 22, and including means for supplying suction to the carriage at its extreme forward position whereby a form delivered from the principal printing station is caused to adhere to the carriage, the said suction being discontinued at the rear end of the carriage travel to allow the form to pass from the machine.

24. A printing machinein accordance with claim 23, and including a master valve which is movable to a first 

